Sophia Christmas Cactus

Sophia Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata 'Sophia') carries peachy-yellow flowers in a warm blend of peach and butter yellow. It makes a fountain of arching, jointed stems about 40cm high and wide, with curled, ribbon-like blooms at the tips in winter. It is one of the gentler colours in the Christmas cactus range, and one of the easiest to live with.

Why you'll love it

• Warm, gentle colour. Peach and yellow shade into one another on each flower, a tone that works in rooms where pinks and reds are too loud.
• Flowers when it is cold. Buds form at the ends of the stems and open through winter, bringing colour to the quietest part of the year.
• Long lasting. These plants live a very long time, and old specimens are spectacular in full bloom.
• Straightforward watering. Drought tolerant, with leaves that wrinkle to tell you it is dry or too hot.
• Pet friendly. Christmas cactus is not toxic to cats or dogs.

Where it works best

Bright rooms and entries. A hallway or entry with good light but no direct sun suits it well, and the warm flowers welcome people in.

Pots on stands and in baskets. Raise it so the flowering tips sit at eye level. For a fuller plant sooner, put three tubes in one 20cm pot.

Patios in frost-free places. In tropical, subtropical and sheltered warm temperate climates it can live outside under cover, away from direct sun and any hint of frost.

Growing Sophia Christmas Cactus in Australia

Position and climate. Good light, but not direct sun. Sophia is frost tender and has to be kept over 10°C, so outside it belongs in frost-free gardens, under cover. In cooler climates, grow it indoors and keep it away from cold windowpanes in winter.

Soil. A gritty, free-draining compost mix or very free-draining soil. Never let the pot sit in water.

Water and feed. Water when the soil becomes dry, and a little more often in hot weather. It does not like soggy mix, but it does like a mist over the leaves. After flowering give it a cooler rest below 18°C with less water, then raise watering and start feeding with a liquid fertiliser as the weather warms.

Pruning. No regular pruning. Twist off a segment or two after flowering to encourage branching, and use the pieces as cuttings.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Sophia Christmas Cactus as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. It arrives small and not yet in flower, and a year or two of growth builds the fountain shape that carries a full display. Pot it up into a gritty mix and keep it in bright, indirect light.

Tube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. If the grower has none, the tube shows as sold out, and the notify button on the page will email you the day it returns.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Flowering plants for indoors
• Plants for pots
• Succulent range
• Choosing the right size pot for your plant

Common questions

How long will it live?

A very long time. Christmas cacti are famous for outliving the people who plant them, and older plants are the most impressive in flower.

Can I grow it outdoors?

Only where it stays above 10°C and frost free, in dappled shade under cover. In tropical gardens it can be secured into a tree. Elsewhere, treat it as a houseplant.

When should I repot it?

Rarely. It flowers well when slightly snug in its pot. Repot into a gritty mix when roots fill the container, after the flowers have finished.